Description
This Instant Pot Al Pastor Tacos recipe delivers a flavorful and tender pork filling infused with traditional Mexican spices, chipotle peppers, and pineapple. The pork is pressure-cooked to juicy perfection, then shredded and served in warm corn tortillas with classic garnishes for an authentic taco experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Pork and Seasonings
- 3 pounds pork sirloin roast (cut into quarters)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.41 oz packet of Sazon Goya with coriander and annatto (divided)
Other Ingredients
- 8 ounce package thick sliced bacon (diced)
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 7 ounce can chipotles in adobo sauce (remove chipotles and discard sauce for less spice)
- 16 ounce can crushed pineapple (undrained)
Optional Garnishes and Serving
- Corn tortillas
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped white onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the pork: Cut the pork sirloin into quarters. Rub each piece thoroughly with sea salt, black pepper, and half of the packet of Sazon Goya to season evenly.
- Sear the bacon: Set the Instant Pot to the sear or brown function and add the diced bacon. Cook until the bacon is sizzling and slightly crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Brown the pork: Add the seasoned pork quarters to the pot and brown each side for approximately 5 minutes. This step develops flavor through caramelization. After browning, turn off the Instant Pot.
- Prepare the pot: Remove excess bacon grease from the pot but leave the cooked bacon pieces and browned bits on the bottom to maintain flavor for the next step.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender, combine the chicken broth, chipotle peppers (discard the adobo sauce if less heat is desired), crushed pineapple with juice, and the remaining half packet of Sazon Goya. Blend until smooth to create the marinade and cooking liquid.
- Add sauce to pork: Pour the blended sauce over the browned pork and bacon in the Instant Pot. Stir gently to ensure any browned bits stuck to the bottom are loosened and mixed into the liquid.
- Pressure cook the pork: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to cook under high pressure for 35 minutes to tenderize the pork thoroughly.
- Release pressure safely: When cooking is complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then carefully perform a manual release for any remaining pressure.
- Check doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the pork has reached an internal temperature of at least 145°F. The pork should shred easily; if not, reseal and cook under pressure for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Shred the pork: Remove the pork from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the pot with the cooking sauce and bacon, mixing well to combine the flavors.
- Serve the tacos: Serve the hot shredded pork in warmed corn tortillas. Garnish with chopped cilantro, white onion, and lime wedges as desired for an authentic and fresh finish.
Notes
- For less spice, remove chipotles from adobo sauce and discard the sauce before blending.
- Ensure the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F for safe consumption.
- Browning the pork and bacon adds depth to the flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
- Use fresh corn tortillas if possible for authentic texture and taste.
- Leftover cooked pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
